1. education
2. school

Mary Gage Peterson Elementary
March 16, 2015
PETERSON PARENT PERIODICAL
College Graduates. Community Leaders. Cultural Ambassadors.
Celebrating Peterson
Congratulations families for getting
students to school everyday on time
and to the hardworking attendance
team at Peterson: Ms. Marti
Hindaileh, Ms. Carina Martino, and
Ms. Ghada Isaac. The number of
chronically absent students at
peterson has dropped from 10.3%
last year to 2.2% this year, and the
number of chronically truant
students has dropped from 5.9% to
2.8%. Great work!!!
PARCC 2015
The PARCC (Partnership for
Assessment of Readiness for
College and Careers) Assessment
will be administered throughout the
District for students in grades 3-8.
CPS has made this decision in order
to avoid financial cuts threatened by
the Illinois State Board of
Education. Peterson has been
working to put a plan in place for
administration well before this
announcement was made. Grades 3,
4, and 5 will test the week of 3-16-15,
and grades 6, 7, and 8 will test the
week of 3-23-15. For more
information please contact Michael
Coleman, Counselor.!
End of 3rd Quarter
and Spring Break
The end of the 3rd quarter is
Thursday, April 2, 2015. There is no
school for students 4-3-15 to 4-10-15.
The building will be closed for
Spring Break.!
Letter from the Principal
Dear Peterson Families,!
!
The warm weather is continuing, and I hope all of you are
getting the chance to enjoy it while it lasts!!!
!
!
Several Peterson students had the opportunity to experience
learning outside of the building. Second graders in R00m 205 went to
826CHI, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting students
with creative and expository writing skills. First graders were able to
learn about different animals in a field trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo on
Friday. Thanks to all those parents who chaperoned and made this
learning possible!!!
!
There were also many exciting things happening within the
building as well. Second graders in rooms 209 and 211 did a mayoral
election to go along with their Primary VOICE lessons. Students had
the opportunity to learn about the process of voting, including using a
ballot and the role of election officials. Fifth grade students in Ms.
Dyrek’s Art classroom partnered with students from Northside College
Prep to design a mural for Peterson, and sixth graders had a great time
at a dance on Friday evening. Thanks to the sixth grade teachers and
Mr. Caban for chaperoning the dance!!!
!
Peterson Parent Periodical
It was another great week at Peterson last week. !
This week is another busy week. The sixth grade will be
Website: peterson.cps.k12.il.us
Twitter: @MGPPrincipal
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Mary Gage Peterson Elementary
March 16, 2015
participating in health education classes offered by the Chicago
Women’s Health Center, and third, fourth, and fifth graders will be
taking the PARCC assessment on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
On Thursday, March 19, 2014, the Peterson Concert Band will be
entertaining thousands at the Allstate Arena as they perform for a
Chicago Wolves Game. Congratulations to Mr. Sukumaran and our
hard-working musicians for receiving this invitation. On Friday, fourth
graders will bring revolutionaries from the past to life with a History
Alive celebration. !
Upcoming Events
3-16-15 to 3-20-15: 6th Grade Sex
Education
3-17 to 3-19: PARCC Assessment
Administration in Grades 3, 4, 5
3-17-15: Parent Tea @ 8:15am
3-18-15: NO After-Hours due to Staff
Professional Development
3-19: Band Performance at Wolves Game
3-20-15: History Alive 4th Grade
3-24 to 3-26: PARCC Administration
Grades 6, 7, and 8
3-24: Parent Tea @ 8:15am
3-24: Green Team Meeting @ 3:45pm
3-24: LSC Closed Session @ 6pm
3-27: 5th Grade Walking Field Trip to
NEIU
3-30: Rooms 205 and 118 Walking Field
Trip to NEIU Theater
4-1-15: Rooms 209 and 211 Walking
Field Trip to NEIU Theater
4-2: End of Third Quarter
4-3: No School for Students
4-6 to 4-10: Spring Vacation School
Closed
!
!
Peterson Parent Periodical
A couple of friendly reminders: !
•No After-Hours on Wednesday 3-18-15: Please remember that
there is no after-hours this Wednesday, 3-18-15, due to staff
professional development. Please plan on picking up your
children at 3:30pm.
!
•Student Make-Up Days: To ensure that students receive the
valuable instructional time that was intended for February 2 and
19, CPS has made changes to its academic calendar for this school
year without disruption to graduation schedules or the start of
summer school. The changes are as follows: Thursday, June 18,
2015, which was scheduled to be the first day of summer break,
will now be a regular attendance day. Friday, June 19, will now
be a regular attendance day for all students. Students’ summer
break will begin on Monday, June 22.
!
•PARCC: The PARCC assessment is a criterion referenced,
standardized assessment that determines how students are doing in
regards to the Common Core State Standards. The PARCC
replaces the ISAT at elementary schools. At Peterson, there is a
plan in place to allow for efficient and effective administration that
minimizes the loss of instructional time. Students in 3, 4, and 5
will take a paper and pencil assessment the week of 3-16-15.
Students in 6, 7, and 8 will take a computer based assessment the
week of 3-23-15.
!
•Health (Sex) Education at Peterson: All parents of children in grades 5
to 8 should have received permission slips regarding participation in sex
education at Peterson. Sex Education will take place in single sex classes,
and it will be provided by professionals from Chicago Women’s Health
Center with teachers in the room. Sex education is required by CPS, and it
is also important information for all students. Please contact Counselor
Carina Martino with questions.
•Childcare at Peterson: The Peterson PAC is aware that many of you seek
care for your children after school, and we would therefore like to hear your
thoughts about the possibility of providing additional after-school care.
Please note that this is in regards to after-school care that would be effective
next school year (2015-2016).
Please access the survey here: http://tinyurl.com
Have a great week,
Kate Kane, Principal
Website: peterson.cps.k12.il.us
Twitter: @MGPPrincipal
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